The design of DNA-based alphavirus vectors significantly improves the utility of these replicon vectors. The DNA-based replicon vectors can be used in expressing foreign genes and preparing RVP in virto efficiently, also in developing replicon vaccines and gene therapy vectors in vivo. The approach involved the conversion a RNA-based replicon vector into a layered DNA-based replicon vector by the RNA polymerase Ⅱ promoter and transcription termination/polyadenylation signal transcribed replicon RNA from DNA. When DNA-based alphavirus vector tranfected into cells, the first layer includes a eukaryotic RNA polymerase Ⅱ expression cassette that initiates transcription of RNA in nucleus. Following transport of this RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, the second layer, autocatalytic amplification of the RNA vector corresponds to virus RNA replication cycle and results in high level expression of foreign gene. DNA and RNA-based bifunctional replicon expression vector pSCTA and helper vector pSHCTA were successfully constructed by replacing the SP6 promoter used in the original system pSFV1 and pSFV-helper2 derived from Semliki Forest virus (SFV) with CMV promoter and T7 promoter, and inserting BGH transcription termination and polyadenylation signal downstream 3′-untranslated region (UTR). In order to obtain DNA-based highly efficient replicon vectors, they were further modified to construct additional three DNA-based SFV replicon expression vectors and corresponding helper vectors. To investigate the efficiency of foreign gene expression level by the four different DNA-based SFV expression vectors and recombinant virus particle (RVP) prepared by cotranfecting with corresponding helper vectors, improved DNA-based replicon vectors pSCAR and pSHCAR derived from SFV were developed. high level protein could be generated using the new vector system by transfecting DNA into BHK21 cells and High titer of RVP produced by cotranfecting with helper vector. Antigen genes were also expressed in cells by the replicon expression vector. Additionally, reporter gene expression was observed in mice muscle following injection with SFV DNA vector. Anti-β-Gal antibody response and cell-mediated immune response were induced after intramuscular inoculation of the β-Gal-encoding SFV replicon DNA. The results suggested that highly efficient DNA-based replicon vectors pSCAR and pSHCAR were constructed by modifying the SFV vectors. The improved DNA-based replicon vectors enhance the utility of them, and can be developed as potentially replicon vaccines and gene therapy vectors.